By Marnie Kunz

Some runners look down on walking, but the truth is there are many benefits of walking for runners. From helping with active recovery to placing less impact on the joints and building strength and endurance, walking is great for runners. Here I’ll go over the top 15 benefits of walking for runners and offer some tips on how you can incorporate walking into your running program.

I admit I used to be that hardcore runner who thought there was no point in walking. If I wasn’t sweaty and breathing hard, it didn’t feel like a workout. But then I got older and gained weight, and walking with my dog during the pandemic helped me to stay sane and also lose weight. I grew to appreciate the solo time and pup time, and I enjoyed long slow walks listening to my favorite podcasts and hiking with my dog in beautiful parks. Walking has also helped me to stay injury-free during my run streak. Walking has become my favorite way to start the day, offering a calm, meditative, and energizing way to wake up, for me and my dog. I wanted to share the walking love and offer this list of scientifically-backed benefits of walking for runners:

Top Benefits of Walking for Runners

1. Walking improves endurance.

Yes, that’s right - running isn’t the only way to boost your endurance. A brisk walk offers similar benefits as a run, and most people are able to walk farther than they can run. Walking improves your cardiovascular health and endurance and gives you active time on your feet while building leg strength and increasing lung capacity.

2. Walking boosts heart health.

As with running, walking improves your heart health and makes you less likely to suffer from cardiac conditions, as well as improves cholesterol levels and reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.

3. Walking promotes active recovery

from tough running workouts like speed work and long runs. Runners often think doing absolutely nothing is the best way to recover from hard workouts, but the truth is, walking helps stimulate blood flow, aids in eliminating toxins, keeps muscles flexible, reduces lactic acid buildup and soreness in muscles, and reduces your recovery time. (You should also eat enough carbs and protein within 30 minutes of a hard workout to aid in recovery. Learn more in our guide to supplements for runners).

4. Walking strengthens bones and muscles.

Walking improves your strength and balance in the feet, knees, and hips, which are all key body parts you need to run strong and injury-free.

5. Walking puts less pressure on the joints than running.

Although pressure on the joints has benefits like improving bone strength, if you are injured or need recovery time from a tough workout, walking is perfect as it places less strain on your joints than running.

6. Walking maintains cardiovascular fitness levels.

If you aren’t able to get in a run, walking will help you keep your cardiovascular fitness level. Brisk walking elevates your heart rate and gets oxygen-rich blood moving more efficiently to your major organs, muscles, and tissue. If you are replacing a run with a walk, if you walk briskly, go the same distance you would if you were running, and you will burn about the same amount of calories and still get in a great cardio workout.

7. Walking helps maintain a healthy weight.

If the pandemic taught us anything about exercise, it’s how important walking is for our physical and mental health. Many of us were at home for months at a time, and the loss of our daily walking to do things caused a lot of people to gain weight. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 39% of patients gained weight during the pandemic, with weight gain defined as above the normal fluctuation of 2.5 pounds. Walking burns calories and is an easily accessible way to stay active. The exact amount of calories you burn walking depends on your weight. Walking burns about 100 calories per mile for a 180-pound person. This is about the same amount of calories burned as a mile of running, with the difference being the amount of time it takes you to complete the mile. I encourage people I train who want to lose weight to walk more in daily life (see my running weight loss guide for more weight loss tips). Adding a 20-minute walk to your daily routine, or making small changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking to do errands, adds up to a lot of calorie burning over time.

8. Walking reduces depression and anxiety.

Walking boosts your mood and lessens symptoms of anxiety and depression. Walking has a positive influence on your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is your central nervous response system, according to WebMD. The HPA axis is responsible for your stress response and when you walk, you calm your stress response.

9. Walking increases energy levels.

Walking improves oxygen flow through the body and boosts levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, the hormones that help raise your energy.

10. Walking improves cognition and memory.

Brisk walking improves your brain health. According to a year-long study of middle-aged and older adults experiencing some early signs of memory loss, regular walking improved their cognitive scores and stimulated more healthy blood flow to the brain.

11. Walking improves sleep.

Walking decreases insomnia and improves your sleep quality. According to a study published in the journal Sleep Health, participants who increased their daily step amount by at least 2,000 steps (about a mile of walking for most people), experienced better quality sleep, and walking more during the day helped people sleep longer at night.

12. Walking strengthens the immune system.

Walking boosts your immune system. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, walking can offer you some protection during cold and flu season by strengthening your immune system. A study of over 1,000 people found that participants who walked at least 20 minutes a day for a minimum of 5 days a week had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less.

13. Walking is easy to do with someone.

Because it is less intense than running, walking is more doable for most people, from kids to seniors and pets. Walking offers a healthy way to enjoy time with your family, friends, and pets.

14. Walking offers a mental break from running.

Walking is a great way to mix up your running routine and offers a mental break from the intensity of running. Try taking a relaxing walk for self-care Sunday, or going for a walk and listening to your favorite podcast or audiobook, and you’ll return feeling refreshed.

15. Walking curbs sweet cravings.

If you suffer from a sweet tooth, walking can help curb your chocolate cravings, according to researchers. So if you’re struggling with saying no to the sugary snacks, go for a 15-minute walk instead, and chances are that sweet tooth urge will pass.

How to Add Walking to Your Running Program

If you’d like to enjoy the many benefits of walking, you can easily add some walks to your running program. Here are ways you can make walking for runners a part of your fitness plan:

Do a 10-minute walk at the end of your speed workout. This will help you cool down and give your muscles a recovery boost.
Add recovery walks on the days after hard workouts like long runs or speed workouts. Do a 20- to 30-minute walk for active recovery from hard running days. This will get your blood circulating and help reduce muscle soreness and joint stiffness.
Walk and lift weights for cross-training. Do a weightlifting workout and go for a 20- to 30-minute walk to get in a cardio workout and complement your strength training. (Check out the best strength training exercises for runners to get ideas for your weightlifting workout).
Walk more in daily life. Add more walking to your daily life by walking your dog more, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking to do some of your errands. Setting a daily step goal can help you stay on track with your daily walking activity.

Does walking help you in your running journey? If you need a customized fitness training program, check out our Training Center. Happy walking to you!😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, a dog lover, an Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.

15 Benefits of Walking for Runners